Hours before attempting to assassinate former US President Donald Trump,
Thomas Matthew Crooks purchased 50 rounds of ammunition and a ladder. Citing senior law enforcement officials, CNN reported that the 20-year-old spent a good 48 hours preparing for the attack.
According to the CNN report, on Friday, the day before Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Crooks visited a shooting range in his hometown of Bethel Park. He practiced firing at the range, where he is listed as a member.
The next morning, he went to a Home Depot to buy a five-foot ladder, and then to a local gun store for the ammunition. Investigators stated that the rifle used in the shooting was legally purchased by Crooks' father in 2013.
Senior law enforcement officials told CNN that Crooks bought the ammunition from a local gun store shortly before the attack. Federal investigators revealed that the rifle used in the attempt was legally purchased by Crooks' father in 2013.
Later that evening, Crooks drove his car about an hour north to Butler, joining thousands of attendees at the Trump rally. He parked outside the event, leaving an improvised explosive device hidden in the trunk, wired to a transmitter he carried.
He used his newly purchased ladder to scale a nearby building and then opened fire on Trump and attendees. Moments after the shots rang,
he was killed by Secret Service snipers.
Two spectators were critically injured, and a former fire chief,
Corey Comperatore, was killed while shielding his family. Trump got away with a nick to his ear after the would-be assassin's bullet grazed him.
The FBI is investigating whether Crooks was motivated by a violent extremist ideology or had any co-conspirators. So far, they say it appears he acted alone.
On the surface, Crooks had a seemingly normal life. He graduated from the Community College of Allegheny County in May with an associate degree in engineering science and was expected to enroll at Robert Morris University in the fall. He also worked as a dietary aide at a local nursing and rehabilitation centre.
His high school classmates had mixed views on Crooks. Some said he was friendly, while others described him as a loner who was bullied in school.
Crooks' phone has not provided clear explanations for his actions, and investigators are now focusing on his laptop in hopes of uncovering clues about his motive. The investigation is ongoing.